Global Patent Index - EP 0262253 A1

EP 0262253 A1 19880406 - Micromechanical atomic force sensor head.

Title (en)

Micromechanical atomic force sensor head.

Title (de)

Mikromechanische Fühlervorrichtung für atomare Kräfte.

Title (fr)

Dispositif micromécanique détecteur de forces atomiques.

Publication

EP 0262253 A1 19880406 (EN)

Application

EP 86113669 A 19861003

Priority

EP 86113669 A 19861003

Abstract (en)

The micromechanical sensor head is designed to measure forces down to 10<-><1><3> N. It comprises a common base (38) from which a cantilever beam (40) and a beam member (44) extend in parallel. The cantilever beam (40) carries a sharply pointed tip (37) of a hard material, dielectric or not, for interaction with the surface of a sample (36) to be investigated. Bulges (45, 46) forming a tunneling junction protrude from facing surfaces of said beams (40, 44), the gap between said bulges (45, 46) being adjustable by meams of electrostatic forces generated by a potential ( V d) applied to a pair of electrodes (41, 43) respectively coated onto parallel surfaces of said beams (40, 44). The sensor head consists of one single piece of semiconductor material, such as silicon or gallium arsenide (or any other compounds thereof) which is fabricated to the dimensions required for the application by meams of conventional semiconductor chip manufacturing techniques.

IPC 1-7

G01L 1/00; H01J 37/28

IPC 8 full level

G01B 7/34 (2006.01); G01B 7/00 (2006.01); G01B 21/30 (2006.01); G01D 5/04 (2006.01); G01L 1/00 (2006.01); G01L 1/04 (2006.01); G01N 13/00 (2006.01); G01N 23/00 (2006.01); G01N 37/00 (2006.01); G01Q 20/04 (2010.01); G01Q 60/38 (2010.01); G01Q 70/14 (2010.01); H01J 37/26 (2006.01); H01J 37/28 (2006.01)

IPC 8 main group level

G01Q 40/00 (2010.01)

CPC (source: EP US)

B82Y 35/00 (2013.01 - US); G01Q 20/04 (2013.01 - EP US); G01Q 60/38 (2013.01 - EP US); Y10S 977/863 (2013.01 - EP US)

Citation (search report)

  • [A] EP 0194323 A1 19860917 - IBM [US]
  • [AD] PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, vol. 56, no. 9, 3rd March 1986, pages 930-933, New York, US; G. BINNIG et al.: "Atomic force microscope"

Designated contracting state (EPC)

CH DE ES FR GB IT LI NL SE

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 0262253 A1 19880406; AU 599706 B2 19900726; AU 7921187 A 19880414; BR 8704432 A 19880524; CA 1305872 C 19920804; JP S6391502 A 19880422; US 4806755 A 19890221

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 86113669 A 19861003; AU 7921187 A 19870930; BR 8704432 A 19870827; CA 548420 A 19871001; JP 20200887 A 19870814; US 10399387 A 19871001